MAST
Senco Gold & Diamonds – #WearYourPride
Agency: BANG ON Content
The jewellery brand’s new campaign #WearYourPride is made in a way that encourages the LGBTQ+ community and also celebrates equal rights for all Mast & Meh logogenders. The campaign shows the real life story of one of the brand’s transwoman sales employees. With Rabindra Sangeet playing in the backdrop, the campaign has a clean script with zero drama. Unlike other campaigns that have represented the transgender community before, this ad does not show only the downsides of the struggle to find one’s identity. The campaign celebrates joy, love and freedom and shows how there is hope and opportunity, delivered in a non-preachy fashion. It gets a thumbs up for that.
MEH
KFC – KFC Popcorn Nachos
Agency: Ogilvy
The Kolonel… sorry, Colonel, has roped in filmmaker Karan Johar and actor Srinidhi Shetty to sell his latest chicken offering. Given the uniqueness of the product, the focus of the campaign is ‘Yeh snack nahi drama hai’. While the new popcorn range promises drama, unfortunately, there is no uniqueness or drama in the ad film. Quite a waste of two popular faces and the drama that they are capable of bringing to the coffee table.
MAST
Livon – #ExpressWithPride
Agency: Ogilvy Content Force
The most powerful changes happen when one truly accepts his/her authentic self and this is what the brand’s Pride Month campaign highlights. The Marico India owned hair serum brand features a host of young, opinionated and talented queer creators who have spoken their minds about a lot of pertinent issues, starting with what it’s like being non-binary in India to how their professional lives are impacted by their sexuality. The ad is authentic and breaks clutter amidst the Pride month promotions.
MEH
Digit Insurance – #DoTheDigitDigit
Agency: Stirred Creative Pvt Ltd.
This new campaign is a classic example of how to not use a brand ambassador. The insurance company has hired one of the most sought after celebrity faces (Virat Kohli) and made an ad that could pass off as a travel/music or fashion apparel brand campaign. Kohli is seen shaking a leg to an anthem called “Digit Dance” talking about how over three crore Indians all across the country placed their trust in this brand to insure their health, car, bike and travel. This one didn’t come across as music to one’s ears.
MAST
GoDaddy – Become Visible with GoDaddy
Agency: Tilt Brand Solutions
The makers of this ad have made efforts to strike a different creative chord. Vocal for local is a narrative that many companies have adopted – both from a product and communications point of view. The internet domain registrar and web hosting company, GoDaddy, has made a point to address how unique local stores are getting lost in the cluttered online marketplaces. You see a carpet, a set of cups and saucers dancing around, a harmonium, and other products coming into life but their owners are invisible. The protagonist then emphasized on the fact that not having an online presence will make them invisible sooner or later. A harsh truth scripted well.
MEH
RummyCircle – #RahoEkKadamAage
This spot by RummyCircle has everything that should be bottled up and thrown into the ocean. A suited celebrity playing rummy. Trippy music. Dialogues that seem to be out of a TEDx speech. Graphics that look out of place. A cringe-worthy climax which made us question the existence of this brand. At a time when there is intense competition between online gaming brands, this commercial is nothing but a waste of a few crores out of the company’s marketing budget.
MAST
Gillette India – #EngineeringChange
Agency: Grey India
Former President of South Africa Nelson Mandela had once said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” This brand presents compelling and impactful storytelling around those famous words. The ad film showcases the journey of Prashant Gade, an engineer-turned-social entrepreneur and founder of NGO Inali Foundation, who questions the purpose of his education when he spots an amputee struggling to shave his face. As the film showcases his journey that is laced with self-introspection, one can see him take the bold step of leaving his safety net and creating something meaningful and useful for someone else. He succeeds in bringing a smile on the face of an amputee who can now feel the shaving stick in his hand. #EngineeringChange stays true to the brand’s purpose.
MEH
Sanfe – #sanferazorlution
Agency – In-house
A woman is seen prepping for her date by shaving her sideburns. As much as the message of the campaign is to normalise and bust myths surrounding ‘facial shaving’ for women between 18-35, it would have been more interesting if the campaign adopted a more truthful approach by also highlighting the side effects of shaving, and skipping lines like, ‘Wow! You are so soft.’ At a time when so many women are looking to feel comfortable in their own skin, with many brands claiming to help them along that journey, seeking validation in the eyes of others seems a tad passe.